Elective c section

[mummoomin]

I just wondered if anyone had had an elective section after a sucessful vaginal birth.

I had a forceps delivery last time , and it took a lot of recovery, and I just cant face going through another birth like that.

What is the recovery like? Easier than a forth degree tear?

Please be gentle!

Ive had two vaginal births, one tear, one large episistomy. Both times the baby was in distress and it all felt very scary and very very painful for quite some time. Totally ruined sex for ages.

Thanks starlight.

I have already told dh Im going privatly for this baby, so hopefully it would be a case of give me a section. yes MrsMoomin?

I cant think it can be worse...and I just want a calm nice non scary birth, maybe combining it with a sterilisation. dont know if that is possible...

Its really worrying me.

it is possible to combine a c-section with a sterilisation, but apparently there is a risk that it won't be so effective, and pregancies have been known to happen in these circumstances.

I've had 2 electives and they were fine, honestly, particularly the second time when I was much calmer and more together beforehand. I was out of hospital in 3 days first time and in 48 hours second time. It is painful afterwards, obviously, and you do need to make sure you have plenty of help at home so you can concentrate on yourself and the baby in the first week. But ime it's entirely manageable, and the pain is over quickly (within a week certainly). You'll get midwife attention daily for as long as you and she think you need it.

I haven't personally anything to compare it too in terms of vaginal birth, but I would guess that it's more painful immediately afterwards and it takes longer to get back to normal than after a straightforward vaginal delivery. However if your experience is that it took months after a difficult delivery, then the c-section recovery is sort of shorter and sharper. (I compare myself to a friend who had a difficult delivery around the same time as my first section, and while I was 'worse off' very short term, she was still feeling the effects months down the line.)

Hi

I never had an elective section, but had an emergency section after long long labour with my first - physical recovery was fine, up and out of bed same day, pain over by end of week, if even that.

Had VBAC 11 weeks ago - similar to yours I think. I have no doubt at all that next time - if indeed there ever is a next time - it shall be a section.

The girl in my room had had an elective section - we had similar aged dd. One of the main reasons I went for VBAC was to recover quicker for my 2.5yr dd. My room mate was out of hospital in 48 hours - I was STILL there due to incontinence worries - but then with 4th degree tear you won't need to hear how long it takes to recover.

I can't see that you'd have a problem with the NHS giving you a c-sec after a 4th degree tear.

People have different experiences, so this is just another anecdotal story, but I had a perfectly straightforward elective c-section (after a failed induction), and I have to say, the recovery time was long. I didn't feel well for many weeks afterwards, and it really felt like I had been through major surgery.

What I would say to you is: if you are opting for a section because you were so traumatised by your previous birth experience that you are too frightened to have a vaginal birth again, then that is one thing - I am sure any good, sympathetic consultant would offer you an elective c-section under those circumstances. But it is not necessarily an easy option in terms of recovery. It is major, invasive operation and you should be realistic about that (I don't mean this to sound harsh, so sorry if it does!).

My mum and best friend both found recovery from c section pretty traumatic and lengthy. I think its a case of how your body deals with stuff rather than comparisons to anyone else.

ive had 3 c sections (yes a zip fitted after 1st would have been easier)

1-very scarey emergency c section after 17 hours of full labou involving induction,foetal head monitor,episiostomy,forceps and ventuose(not neccesarily in that order)-very traumatic deffo not reccomended

2- elective due to a breech baby....i was supposed to have epidural but bottled it and had GA recovered well was awae later that sme day saw baby briefly after birth and was quite ok with a s/a morphine drip

3-elective-due to consultants advice had spinal block was awake for whole thing saw new baby soon after delivery felt fantastic for 3 hours then started vomiting etc etc no pain nurses were v good at pain meds altho i did refuse suppository and had oral....

i think u have to realise its a big op its not gonna be without probs and you need a recovery time - but equally the more informed you are the clearer you see it.

Message withdrawn

I had 2 cs (one emergency, one half elective - e.g. after 14 hour labour but no baby in distress).

I'd say it depends on how well you generally recover from things. I wanted a VBAC the second time so that I wouldn't be out of action with my dd1. As it turned out the cs was a lovely birth experience - everyone laughing and joking in the theatre. Baby was quite happy and content (and is still a placid thing). Very different from an emergency cs.

I was out of bed in 12 hours, out of hospital in 3 days and pretty much the same as anyone who'd had a vaginal birth after 3 weeks. The only downside was not being able to drive for 6 weeks because of car insurance!

I think an NHS consultant would be sympathetic. You cd always go the route I did - try for a vaginal but have the option of a cs at any time during the labour.

I saw some people struggle after a cs, but that was often either an emergency cs, or cs after difficulty pushing.

I'd also say that the management of cs has vastly improved since 2003 when I had dd1. Then you were attached to a catheter for over 24 hours, and recovery was slower. Now they have you out of bed to the loo within 12 hours, and walking not long after. No problems lifting, feeding or handling the baby.

I wish I'd been able to have a VBAC, but I'd rather have a cs than a difficult or traumatic birth....

i had an em c-section after a long labouor with my DS 5 years ago. Recovery was pretty quick and I felt physically fine, but very very tired after several days of no sleep.

i had an elective 8 mo ago and my recovery was much worse, including infected wound and incontinence issues after the catheter was removed and it took me about four weeks beofre I felt something like normal. I could only stand for about 10 minutes even three weeks afterwards. The birth experience with the electvie was fab though, very calm and relaxed and we were skin to skin and feeding within an hour of delivery. The fact that I wasn't knackered after three days of labour and no sleep like the first time meant that although physically I was sore, I wasn't tired. I had good home support in place as well; it could have been a nightmare if that wasn't the case.

I suppose it depends on lots of factors, age and fitness being one of them in my case, and the wound infection being the other.

give yourself some time to think about it, as I had decided on VBAC early on in my pregnancy but changed my mind towards the end as there was no guarantee that my first labour problem wouldn't re-occur. A good consultant will discuss all the options with you, including post op cpomplications. As has been mentioned earlier, it is major abdominal surgery, and should be considered very carefully before going ahead, especially if there is no underlying medical reason for it.Congratualtions on your pregnancy, and Good Luck whatever you decide

mummoomin just wanted to send you hugs and hope you're feeling better this afternoon!

I've moved over from your other thread. I think your dh should be a bit more appreciative of the big step you've taken and be a bit more gracious about it.

Now that you are both committed to the same track I'm sure things will become brighter.

I think recovery from an elective c-section is probably a lot easier than after a 4th degree tear. Obviously it is major surgery, and there are risks, but if it all goes straightforwardly the recovery is fairly quick and 3 months down the line you will not have the follow-on problems you would have with a bad tear.

I've had 2 sections. Recovery after my first (emergency) one was difficult, but I think that was more caused by my long difficult labour that preceded it and also the fact I had a big haemorrhage and lost a lot of blood. On the other hand, recovery after my elective section was very quick - it was at 7.30pm and I was up and walking the next morning.

Also (and this was the most important thing for me) the only slightly painful thing was when they put the canula into the back of my hand beforehand - after that the experience was blissful, I just lay back and chatted while my dd was handed to me. No pain afterwards either, just slight discomfort for a few days.

An easy vaginal birth is the best possible option, and I would always encourage people to try for this if they can. But if you have been there already and found it didn't work for you, and there are risks in another vaginal birth, if it was me I would definitely go for an elective section.

I'm not sure they're completely different, Trolleydolly71. Fundamentally, someone cuts a hole in your abdomen, pulls a baby out, and stitches you back up. Most "emergency" c-sections aren't real emergency crash sections and aren't radically different from electives except inasmuch as you're more knackered going into it (because of being in labour already) and you tend to have an epidural rather than a spinal. My c/s was an "emergency" but very calm, relaxed and positive, and my recovery afterwards was fine (I did go down with whooping cough, though, which I really don't recommend after a c/s of any description).

hi,

my midwife told me that the recovery is much quicker after elective as part of the problem with ememrgency is the fact you have been contracting.
I had emergency c section last time (after 3 VB's) and would like VBAC this time as had massive PPH.

I'm just a big scardey cat and hate the idea of surgery again! Although the idea of planning child care for the other 4 is very appealing!

Does anyone have experience of VBAC after a massive PPH?

Hx

When I had DD1, I had an episiotomy and allergic reaction to the stitches and subsequent infection, bad scarring, lots of pain and two surgical repairs. At the time I was comparing my state and recovery to all the others in my Nct group, and most had had CSs and recovered much better and faster than I did from a vaginal delivery. I asked for and got an elective CS for DD2, and that was the right decision for me - I found it nothing like as painful afterwards and much faster recovery. Of course it all depends! I was unlucky with my first, and lucky with the CS not to have any complications. Good luck!